Dreaming of Olympic glory: the story of 8-year-old gymnast Oleksandra Paskal who lost a leg in a Russian missile strike
www.pravda.com.ua
Thu, 13 Mar 2025 16:43:14 +0200
Oleksandra Paskal, a young Ukrainian gymnast, has become a symbol of resilience, strength and determination.
Her story has touched hearts around the world.
Oleksandras left leg was amputated after suffering severe injuries in a Russian missile attack.
Yet this tragedy has not broken her spirit.
Today she performs all her gymnastics routines on a prosthetic leg, keeping pace with the other athletes on her team.
Despite everything, Sasha a diminutive for Oleksandra has not abandoned rhythmic gymnastics and continues to compete.
She also actively supports charity events for Ukraines Armed Forces, inspiring others never to lose heart.
Sashas life was irrevocably divided into before and after on 16 May 2022, when a Russian missile strike changed everything.
The Paskal family had arrived at a recreation centre in the settlement of Zatoka, Odesa Oblast, hoping to spend time with loved ones and escape the constant air raids, sirens and bombardments.
Everything changed in an instant.
An airraid warning was issued and, almost immediately, a missile struck the building where Sasha and her mother were staying.
Mariia Paskal, Sashas mother, recalls how the blast wave engulfed her daughter in debris.
She, too, was wounded, though her injuries were not as severe.
Little Sasha, however, bore the full force of the impact, being pinned down by concrete rubble.
She was only saved thanks to the quick actions of neighbours who rushed to her aid.
BANNER1 Its truly a miracle that we survived, Mariia says.
The explosion was so intense that I didnt immediately grasp what had happened.
When I regained consciousness, I saw Sasha trapped under a concrete slab.
I started shouting for help.
The neighbours rushed to her aid they found sticks to support the rubble and together, we managed to free my daughter from the trap that could have been fatal.
She had an open fracture in her arm, four broken ribs, severe bruising to her head and her pinkie was torn off.
But the worst thing was that the slab crushed her leg, Mariia adds.
At the hospital, Sasha was immediately taken to intensive care.
She spent 15 days in a coma.
Sadly, despite all the doctors efforts, they failed to save her little leg and had to amputate it.
This is how our long journey to recovery began.
Oleksandra and her father in the hospital after she was injured After treatment in Ukraine, Sasha had to undergo rehabilitation abroad and be fitted with a bionic prosthesis.
Less than two months later, she was able to walk again.
It was not an easy journey, both physically and mentally.
She had to overcome phantom pains, get used to the new reality and accept herself anew.
But Sashas athleticism and her unshakable determination to come back to the gymnastics mat became her greatest motivation.
As soon as she gained confidence with the prosthesis, she resumed rhythmic gymnastics training a sport she had adored since she was four.
Oleksandras coach, Inha Kovalchuk, supported her but didnt let her off easy.
Sasha had to train alongside everyone else so that she didnt feel different.
This approach truly helped.
When we got home, I went straight to my coach, Inha Valeriivna Kovalchuk, Sasha says.
She supported me and told me I could start training again.
It was tough at first I was even afraid to do a cartwheel.
I had to slowly relearn everything from the beginning and adjust to the prosthesis.
But with time, it got easier.
A lot of this was thanks to my coach, who was always there to help but never took it easy on me.
BANNER2 I train at the same level as the other girls and no one feels sorry for me, Sasha adds.
These days, I train five times a week, with each session lasting three hours.
I train just as hard as the other girls in the group.
Sometimes its tough.
My stump can hurt a lot when I put on the prosthesis, but I push through and get on the mat.
As Inha Valeriivna says, Success in sports requires character without it, youll fall short.
Less than a year after the tragedy, Sasha began competing again.
She won gold in her first competition following the injury, performing a solo routine at the gymnastics championship in her hometown of Chornomorsk in Odesa Oblast.
Sasha Paskal performing at the allUkrainian tournament Rizatdinova Cup I was not worried at all as I had trained a lot before.
Everything went great and I ranked first.
It motivated me even more to work harder, Sasha says.
Sashas story has become an example for many.
Her strength of spirit and desire to return to her favourite sport have inspired people not only in Ukraine but also abroad.
BANNER3 Today, Sasha is a welcome guest at many events, tournaments and charity events.
Her performances draw attention to important topics and her story motivates thousands of people.
She has met with athletes, politicians, artists and ordinary Ukrainians who admire her endurance.
Oleksandra at Ukraines Foreign Ministry. Photo Ukraines Ministry of Foreign Affairs Later, Oleksandra was a winner at the ChildrenHeroes charity event and was honoured with the Courage in Time of War award.
She met with Ukraines First Lady, Olena Zelenska, other child heroes and Patron, the Ukrainians beloved explosives detection dog and mascot of the countrys State Emergency Service.
Sasha Paskal at the Viennese Ball in Kyiv She took part in the Viennese Ball in Kyiv, captivating everyone with her grace.
The preparations were intense, as time was running short.
But in the end, we did it we danced beautifully, and I was overwhelmed with positive emotions.
It was incredible Sasha shared.
She also appeared on the TV show Ukraine of Incredible People, delivering a heartfelt performance to a song by Okean Elzy, one of Ukraines most renowned bands.
Her strength of spirit and grace left both the judges and the audience in awe.
I dont know if you realise how much you inspire us all, singer Nadia Dorofieieva told her during the show.
BANNER4 The prestigious Rizatdinova Cup tournament followed, where Oleksandra was a special guest.
Its founder, Olympic medallist Hanna Rizatdinova, wrote on social media We all need role models.
Oleksandra Paskal is one for me.
She is incredibly strongwilled, determined and sincere.
Sasha is a true embodiment of Ukraines resilience.
Thank you for performing at our tournament its an honour for me.
Oleksandra Paskal and Hanna Rizatdinova In February 2025, to mark the third anniversary of the fullscale war, Sasha gave a charity performance in London to a song by Sviatoslav Vakarchuk, lead singer of Okean Elzy.
The event, held in one of the citys most renowned theatres, featured the Veriovka Ukrainian Folk Choir, singer Susana Jamala Jamaladinova Ukraines 2016 Eurovision winner and Vakarchuk himself.
The goal was to raise funds for the rehabilitation and prosthetics for Ukrainian soldiers.
During her visit to London, Sasha visited the Ukrainian Embassy in the UK and met with Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraines Ambassador to the UK and former CommanderinChief of the Armed Forces.
This meeting was very special for her and the photos of the two of them went viral on social media.
Oleksandra Paskal, Valerii Zaluzhnyi and the Veriovka Choir But this was not her first visit to London.
In October 2024, Sasha made football history by leading the Shakhtar and Arsenal teams onto the pitch during a Champions League match.
She travelled to the UK capital with the Ukrainian team at Shakhtars invitation.
Sasha Paskal before the Arsenal vs Shakhtar Champions League match.
Photo Shakhtar FC Mariia is proud to say that Sashas schedule is now planned to the minute school, rhythmic gymnastics, swimming, charity events...
Sasha herself is actively involved in charity work, helping the Ukrainian military.
Sasha has never shown weakness in the two and a half years since her terrible injury because she understands that she has become a role model for many, Oleksandras mum says.
Despite all the challenges, little Oleksandra refuses to give up on her dreams.
She aims to compete in major international tournaments and, one day, at the Paralympic Games.
Sasha doesnt just believe in her dreams she puts in the hard work every day to make them a reality.
BANNER5 I dream of peace.
I want children to be healthy and never see war.
I want children with disabilities like me to stay strong and keep moving forward.
I also dream of having a dog, though I cant get one because of my allergies.
Most of all, I really want to go to the Paralympic Games and represent Ukraine there.
If I train hard enough, I believe it will happen says Sasha.
Yuliia Semenenko This article was produced with the participation of CFI, Agence Franaise de Dveloppement Mdias, as part of the Hub Bucharest Project, with the support of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Translation Artem Yakymyshy Editing Susan McDonald
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